Thursday, October 27, 2016

Literary Treasure - Thandialangaram - Part 1

Tamil literature is so rich with its works on Grammar with Tholkaapiyam (தொல்காப்பியம்) by Tholkaapiyar (தொல்காப்பியர்) being the oldest work on Tamil Grammar. There were other great works on Tamil Grammar during different periods of time that includes Nannool (நன்னூல்), Yapparum Kalakaarigai (யாப்பருங்கலக்காரிகை), Veera Chozhiyam (வீரசோழியம்), Maaran Alangaaram (மாறனலங்காரம்). I recently had a chance to read another great work on Tamil Grammar - Thandialangaram (தண்டியலங்காரம்). Actually it is a book on Ani Ilakkanam (அணி இலக்கணம்), the Grammar on Poetical Decorations.

Before I begin getting deeper into this, I would like to mention that I am not a scholar in Tamil nor am I an expert in Tamil Literature, so I would request the readers to bear with me if there are any mistakes or errors.

Thandialangaram is written by Thandiyaasiriyar, however not much is known about this person. Some scholars say that he was the son of Ambikapathi, son of the great poet, Kavichakravarthi Kambar making Thandiyaasiriyar the grandson of Kambar. They quote the following song as a supporting evidence of that information

'வடதிசை யிருந்து தென்மலைக் கேகி

மதிதவழ் குடுமிப் பொதிய மால்வரை

இருந்தவன் தன்பால் அருந்தமிழ் உணர்ந்த

பன்னிரு புலவரின் முன்னவன் பகர்ந்த

தொல்காப் பியநெறி பல்காப் பியத்தும்

அணிபெறு மிலக்கணம் அரிதினில் தெரிந்து

வடநூல் வழிமுறை மரபினின் வழா அது

ஈரிரன் டெல்லையின் இகவா மும்மைப்

பாரத விலக்கணம் பண்புறத் தமீஇத்

திருந்திய மணிமுடிச் செம்பியன் அவையத்து

அரும்பொருள் யாப்பி னமைவுற வகுத்தனன்

ஆடக மன்றத்து நாடக நவிற்றும்

வடநூ லுணர்ந்த தமிழ்நூற் புலவன்

பூவிரி தண்பொழிற் காவிரி நாட்டு

வம்பவிழ் தெரியல் அம்பி காபதி

மேவருந் தவத்தினிற் பயந்த

தாவருஞ் சீர்த்தித் தண்டியென் பவனே.'

However some other scholars say that is a different person who lived in a period earlier than Kambar. Most people agree that he lived during the period of Kulothunga Cholan II of the 12th century

Thandialangaram consists of 3 parts

பொதுவியல் - Describes the general rules/grammar about poetic decorations

பொருளணியியல் - Describes the different types of expression/meaning

சொல்லணியியல் - Describes the various forms of word usage

When one reads the Thandialangaram, they can not just see the grammatical rules of the languages but appreciate the beauty of the language as well, as to how flexible and creative it can be. The following song illustrates such a beauty of the Tamil language

ஓங்க லிடைவந் துயர்ந்தோர் தொழவிளங்கி

ஏங்கொலிநீர் ஞாலத் திருளகற்றும் ஆங்கவற்றுள்

மின்னேர் தனியாழி வெங்கதிரோன் றேனையது

தன்னே ரிலாத தமிழ்

Ongal Idai Vandhu Uyarndhor Thozha Vilangi

Yaengoli Neer Gnalathu Irul Agatrum Aangavatrul

Minnaer Thannazhi Ven Kadhiron Yaenayadhu

Thannaeriladha Thamizh

meaning, The ones that rise from the mountains and worshipped by all great men, illuminate and enlighten this world covered by the high seas; One is the electrifying and the bright Sun, the other is the language Thamizh. The analogy here is that the Sun rises above the mountains and removes out the darkness from the world, likewise, Tamil, which originated from the Kudagu Mountains removes the darkness of ignorance and enlightens the mind.

Thandialangaram is so dense and vast that it has figures of speech, poetic decorations which can be discussed at length and there are many books written with the explanation for its contents. However, in this post, we will get on to the more interesting bits first.

Tamil poetry primarily has four forms - Aasu Kavi (ஆசுகவி), Madhura Kavi (மதுரகவி), Chithira Kavi (சித்திரக்கவி), Viththaara Kavi (வித்தாரக்கவி). Aasu Kavi is spontaneous overflow where the poet sings the song on the spot complying to the grammatical rules, these songs can be one of the other three forms as well. Madhura Kavi is a song that has a good rhyme. Chithira Kavi is the poem that can be represented in a drawing. Viththaara Kavi is the form that has a song within a song, for example, if the odd letters are gathered, it forms one poem and if the even letters are gathered it gives another poem, as a whole the song itself is one poem - there are many such permutations which we will see in the upcoming posts. One of the sections that Thandialangaram describes is the Chithira Kavi, a poetic form, that can be represented as a drawing. Such form of poetry are classified as Rathabandham, Thani naaga bandham, Irattai Naaga Bandham, Komoothri Bandham, Murasu bandham, Chakkara Bandham etc The Rathabandham or the Chithira Thaer can be found in thispost. The others, we will see here in this post

Komoothri Bandham

This is an interesting form of Chithira Kavi where the poem can be read in different ways yet we read the same poem

பருவ மாகவி தோகன மாலையே

பொருவி லாவுழை மேவன கானமே

மருவு மாசைவி டாகன மாலையே

வெருவ லாயிழை பூவணி காலமே

Paruvam Aaga Idho Ganam Maalaiyae

Poruvila Uzhai Meivana Kaanamae

Maruvum Aasai Vidaa Ganam Maalaiyae

Veruvu Alaa Aayizhai Poovani Kaalamae

meaning, the friend of the lady in the song, is consoling her because her husband/lover has gone away on some business and has not returned yet. The friend says that season the lady’s husband mentioned he will return has started to show up - which is, the clouds of rain has gathered, the deer in the forest are seen and so, not to worry that the man will soon be there to adorn her with the garlands

The poem above is drawn as shown in the following diagram, the first two lines are written in the top row and the second two line are written in the bottom row.

There is another way to read this poem. For the first two-lines follow the orange line and for the second two-lines follow the blue line in the diagram.

Ko - Ox, Cow, Moothri - Urine. Meaning when the ox urinates while walking, the urine’s path will be zigzag. Likewise the drawing to interpret the song resembles the zigzag pattern of the urine and hence the name

Maalai maatru (Palindromes)

Tamil language has its own share of Palindromes at least a thousand years ago. A Palindrome is a textual construct that reads the same even in the reverse

நீவாத மாதவா தாமோக ராகமோ

தாவாத மாதவா நீ'

Neevaadha Maa Dhava Thaa Moga Raagamo

Thaavadha A Maadhu Ava Nee

meaning, You are a great person with an undisturbed meditation, however you will have to bestow on the wishes of the lady who is thinking about you

வாயாயா நீகாவா யாதாமா தாமாதா

யாவாகா நீயாயா வா'

Vaaya Yaa Nee Kaava Yaadhu Aam Maadhu Aam Maa Thaa

Yaa Aagaa Nee Aayaa Vaa

meaning, What is there that we would not get when you guard us. If you don’t bless you, she will become very sad, So Lord Krishna (the cow herdsman) please come.Thirugnanasambandhar has done all forms of these poetry here is one from his Thevaram called the Seergaazhi Thirupathigam

Each verse in this pathigam is a palindrome

சீகாழி - திருமாலைமாற்று

யாமாமாநீ யாமாமா யாழீகாமா காணாகா

காணாகாமா காழீயா மாமாயாநீ மாமாயா.

யாகாயாழீ காயாகா தாயாராரா தாயாயா

யாயாதாரா ராயாதா காயாகாழீ யாகாயா

தாவாமூவா தாசாகா ழீநாதாநீ யாமாமா

மாமாயாநீ தாநாழீ காசாதாவா மூவாதா

நீவாவாயா காயாழீ காவாவானோ வாராமே

மேராவானோ வாவாகா ழீயாகாயா வாவாநீ

யாகாலாமே யாகாழீ யாமேதாவீ தாயாவீ

வீயாதாவீ தாமேயா ழீகாயாமே லாகாயா

மேலேபோகா மேதேழீ காலாலேகா லானாயே

யேனாலாகா லேலாகா ழீதேமேகா போலேமே

நீயாமாநீ யேயாமா தாவேழீகா நீதானே

நேதாநீகா ழீவேதா மாயாயேநீ மாயாநீண

நேணவராவிழ யாசைழியே வேகதளேரிய ளாயுழிகா

காழியுளாயரி ளேதகவே யேழிசையாழவி ராவணனே

காலேமேலே காணீகா ழீகாலேமா லேமேபூ

பூமேலேமா லேகாழீ காணீகாலே மேலேகா

வேரியுமேணவ காழியொயே யேனை நிணேமட ளோகரதே

தேரகளோடம ணேநினையே யேயொழிகாவண மேயுரிவே

நேரகழாமித யாசழிதா யேனனியேனனி ளாயுழிகா

காழியுளானின யேனினயே தாழிசயாதமி ழாகரனே.

- திருஞானசம்பந்தர்

Likewise, Ramalinga Adigalar also known as Vallalaar has also written a thirupathigam where each verse is a palindrome.

வள்ளலார் மாலைமாற்றுத் திருப்பதிகம்

திருஅருமரு தூராகாரா வாடாகரு ணாசாகா

காசாணாரு கடாவாரா காராதூரு மருஅருதி (1)

தாபாதா தாமருத ராலூடவ மேதவமே

மேதவமே வடலூரா தருமதா தாபாதா (2)

யாரிது காளாவ டுகூகையோ கியோ

யோகி யோகைகூடு வளாகா துரியா (3)

யாகாஆகாங் லிமராயா காயமாமாய

யமாமாய காசயாரா மலிங்கா ஆகாயா (4)

யாபாசனஞானா மதாதீதா ஓதாநாதா சாதாகாசா

சாகாதாசா தாநாதாஓதா தீதாமனா ஞானசபாயா (5)

யாதிஜோதியா ராவாராக சீவசாதீயா மசனாபோ

போனாசமயாதீசா வசீகரா வாராயாதி ஜோதியா (6)

யாசாயாமா சாபூதைவாதே காமலாலீ காமுறுஆ

ஆறுமுகா லீலாமகா தேவாதைபூசா மாயாசாயா (7)

காலபாதீ சோகாடபாப தீதாஈராநீ யாடிமுடிய

யடிமுடியா நீராஈதா தீபபாடகா சோதீபாலகா (8)

ராகாவியா விகாடாமடு கூவிலக திருகு

குருதிகலவி கூடுமடா காவியா விகாரா (9)

யகழ்வா களையா கருணீகா சமரசா

சாரமச காணீருக யாளைக வாழ்கய (10)

NagabandhamThis is one of the complex forms of poetry, in which letters of the poem are represented along the body of a snake from head to tail, the shape of snake is convoluted to form a symmetric Kolam. When you trace the letters from the head to tail of the snake, you get the poem. There are many variants in the Nagabandham

Thani Nagabandham - Poem written on 1 snake

Irattai Nagabandham - Poem written on 2 snakes

Naangu Nagabandham - Poem written on 4 snakes

Ashta Nagabandham - Poem written on 8 snakes

First let us look at the thani naagabandham. The following image is the representation of the Thani naagabandham, if we trace the letters from the head of the snake to its tail we get the song mentioned below.

The beauty of this form of poetry is the convoluted shape is what we call the “Kolam” and with colours added becomes Rangoli.

The complexity is that shape is symmetrical and the cells at the intersections of the path have the same letter

வந்தறந் தோய்ந்தி வையமுய தந்தநம் வாமிசுதன்

தந்திரஞ்சேர் மதமார்வார் முன் சாய்ந்தவபோதனுசன்

சந்ததம் சீர்த்திவதிதுதி மாதவர் தந்தன்புசெய் செந்தில்

வந்தந்த நந்தந்தமிழார் நஞ்சிதாசிவனே

Vandhu Aram Thoindhu Ivvaiyam Uyya Thandha Namm Vaami Sudhan

Thandhiram Saer Madham Aarvaar Munn Saai Thava Podhanusan

Sandhadham Seerthi Vadhi Thudhi Maadhavar Thandha Anbu Sei Senthil

Vandhandha Nandham Thamizhaar Nanjidha Sivanaemeaning, For the salvation of this world, Lord Murugan came with all the noble characters. Those with evil minds would fall at his feet. He who bestows for the devotees who worship Him. We praise Lord Shiva who begot him for us Tamil people

Irattai / Thuvi Naaga Bandham (இரட்டை/துவி நாகபந்தம்)

The next form is the Irattai Naaga Bandham, where there are two snakes are involved, still the shape is symmetrical. Here in this there are two songs, one that runs on the body of one snake and the second song on the other

அருளின் றிருவுருவே யம்பலதா யும்பர்

தெருளின் மருவாசீர்ச் சீரே பொருவிலா

வொன்றே யுமையா ளுடனே யுருத்தரு

குன்றே தெருள வருள்

Arulin Thiru Uruvae Amabalatha Umbar

Therulin Maruva Seer Seerae Poruvlia

Ondrae Umaiyaal Udanae Uruththaru

Kundrae Therula Arulmeaning, You are the manifestation of grace, the One who has the Thiruchitrambalam Stage. The One who cannot be perceived even by the Devars. The One who is a flawless Universal Being. The One who stands like a mountain with Umayaal (Goddess Parvathi). Enlighten our minds to understand/perceive You.

மருவி னவருளத்தே வாழ்சுடரே நஞ்சு

பெருகொளியான் றேயபெருஞ் சோதித் திருநிலா

வானஞ் சுருங்கு மிகுசுடரே சித்த

மயரு மளவை யொழி

Maruvinavar Ullathae Vaazh Sudaraee Nanju

Perugu Oliyaan Aeya Perum Jothi Thirunila

Vaanam Surungum Migu Sudarae Siththam

Ayarum Alavai Ozhimeaning, Lord Shiva, You live as the light in the hearts of those who worship you. You have the great poison in Your neck, yet you shine in all brightness that dwarfs the brightness of the moon. Bestow me with the wish that my mind does not forget You.

The following is another version of the Irattai Naagabandham, the only difference from the former is that there only one song that runs through the two snakes where the intersections share the letters. The first two lines run on one snake and the last two on the other.

சேயா சேயாதே தேயா சேயாசே

மாயா மாயாவா வாயா மாயாமா

வாயா மாவாயா மாயா சேமாசே

யோயா நோயாவோ யாயே தேயாளே

Seyaa Seyaadhae Theyaa Seyaase

Maayaa Maayaavaa Vaayaa Maayamaa

Vaayaa Maavaayaa Maayaa Semaase

Yoya Noi Aavoi Aayedhae Aayaalae

The poem above is believed to cure any curse that relates to snakes. Kaalasarpadosham, etc and also to attain peace in life, if the poem is recited in front of Lord Muruga daily, it is believed to bring peace and betterment in one's lifeUnfortunately, I am not able to successfully interpret and provide the meaning for this poem. I tried interpreting it, but it leads to multiple interpretations, so to avoid giving any wrong interpretation / meaning I have not posted the meaning for the song. I request the reader to help me and I would be very grateful to anyone who provides the meaning. Please post it as a comment. The song was sung by Pamban Swamigal who has also sung many such songs in praise of Lord Murugan. Those songs especially is of the Chithira Kavi form - Mayura Bandham, Kamala bandham etc.

The Supreme Being will eliminate one’s past karmas, the ones that will occur in the future once you get to realise that He is the route to salvation

What is the use even if one is exalted to the height of a palm tree, if one cannot remove the evil thoughts from their mind, which in turn will cause evil back to them

To attain self realisation, one will have to forgo following even if it the fate to have those - the wealth, the better half, the land, which is materialistic, If not what is the use in attaining self realisation. In the image below, each of these verses run through each snake. with the intersections having the same letters

In this form there are 8 snakes, and each line/verse of the poem runs along each of the snakes. I was not able to find an illustrative song / drawing for this form. Any help from the readers would be much appreciated. However the following is the rulefor an ashta naagabandham song

ஒருநான்கக் கரத்தொடுநாற் பத்தொன் றாமா

றுடனாற்பத் தைந்தாமெட் டுடனைந் நான்காம்

இருளறுபன் னிரண்டுடனே பதினெட் டாகும்

இருபத்தி ரண்டுடனே நாற்பத் தேழாம்

பரவுமிரு பத்துநான் குடன்முப் பத்தொன்

பானாமுப் பான்மூன்றோ டைம்பத் தொன்றாம்

அருமுப்பத் தேழுடனே நாற்பத் தொன்பா

னாமட்ட நாகபந்த மாஞ்செய் யுட்கே.There are even more complex poetry forms, which we will see in the upcoming posts, no wonder there were people who carried the Anna Kavadi for more than 6 months to learn this masterpiece from a sanyasiTo be continued...More to come, until then...Images / Drawing Credits: B. Karthikeyan

I referred to multiple sources, Thandialangaram by Puliyur Kesigan and one by an unknown author, Abithana Chintamani, and the works in tamilvu.org - http://www.tamilvu.org/library/l0800/html/l0800cnt.htm

Hi Prabhu. This is a great blog! Interestingly, me and a couple of my friends (incidentally all of us have our root in Coimbatore - what are the odds?!) started a blog at the beginning of the year (https://kaaviyavarigal.WordPress.com) with very similar intentions and more surprisingly, similar style. In fact, I stumbled upon your blog when doing research on Avvayyar (part 6). Very humbled to see that you have preceded us by many years - hopefully there is always room for more! I will be citing your works in upcoming posts - there are many inspirations here.

Sathya - Thank you very much. Indeed happy to hear that you have you roots at this awesome place - Coimbatore. Happy to see that you have similar interests and are bringing out the treasures to the world. Thank you very much for the citations in your upcoming posts, please feel free to use the content. I hope we will meet sometime!

I am quiet upset, so much praises about the above posts but I feel it seems so fake and dumb, because I am pretty sure and can bet my money on it, that they don't have any damn clue about the meaning and how it is stitched and sewed and fiddled. Without understanding the traits and inner essence of the poem how one can just enjoy it ...it sounds phoney

How I can enjoy it when you didn't explain or elaborate it :((

I demand for an explanation detailed...as how you did in your previous posts.

Daivik Kumar - First I am sorry that the post was not as elaborate as expected. However, this is a fairly long post that is into deep Tamil literature and making it elaborate will make it even longer. Moreover, I have explained in detail wherever possible. I will try, if possible to edit and more detailed description to it. Thanks.

Open this link in a separate tab - https://2.bp.blogspot.com/--9SfNMm3OMM/V-l1xgNZfcI/AAAAAAAAH1g/rv6se_fZt94PHPktlseiqq8c5koZTo5LgCLcB/s1600/komoothri-thandialangaaram.png

In this image, if you observe, the first two lines form the top row of the poem, the second two lines form the bottom row.

If you following the orange line starting that touches first cell in the top row and traverses in a zig zag form and ending in the last cell of the bottom row. While following the line, gather the letters that the orange line touches.

You will see that even if you traverse in the zig zag form you will see the first two lines of the poem.

Likewise for the blue line you will get the second two lines.

So in all, you can read the poem in two ways one in the normal way left to right, top to bottom and the other in the zig zag way following the orange and blue lines respectively.